1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to generally to bidirectional drive systems. In particular, it relates to a bidirectional clutch assembly with a reduced component count that is capable of high-speed rotational direction switching.
2. Background
The prior art has developed mechanical drives for a wide variety of devices, such as automobiles, manufacturing equipment, tools, window curtains, storm shutters, garage door openers, etc. The list of devices which can be adapted for use with a power drive (i.e. including, but not limited to, internal combustion engines, electric motors, pneumatic drives, etc.) encompasses almost every type of device.
For land-based vehicles, the drive system typically includes an internal combustion engine, wheels, and a transmission to convert engine torque to an appropriate level of power to be applied to the wheels. An important part of the transmission component is the clutch, which provides the ability to engage or disengage engine power from the wheels as needed. In addition to engaging and disengaging power from the wheels, there is also in need for the transmission to be able to reverse rotational energy to the wheels such that the vehicle can be moved in an opposite direction. Prior art transmission assemblies typically require complex gear arrangements in order to effect a reversal of transmission rotational energy. It would be desirable to have a simplified device for reversing rotational energy for the purpose of reducing the cost of providing the ability to reverse direction.
Those skilled in the art will recognize that in addition to conventional internal combustion vehicles, any other vehicle which requires the ability to reverse direction, such as electric cars, golf carts, or alternative fuel vehicles, will also require a bidirectional clutch to allow the vehicle to be reversed.
In addition to the issue of initial manufacturing cost, there is also an issue related to efficiency during normal operation. In particular, prior art clutches typically have numerous parts, each of which creates energy losses that produce the efficiency of the transmission, and overall vehicle efficiency. This is particularly true in the case of friction clutches which tend to be highly inefficient. It would be desirable to have a bidirectional clutch assembly which eliminated the need for friction plates.
In addition to vehicles, clutches have been employed in numerous applications which require motion reversal. For example, residential and commercial buildings typically use a variety of curtains which use clutch assemblies that allow the curtains to be extended or retracted either vertically or horizontally. Likewise, storm screens, hurricane shutters, projection screens, elevator drive systems, truck lifts, and numerous other devices, all rely on bidirectional drive assemblies to position their respective components. With these types of devices, physical space is often an important issue. The more complicated for this type of device increase both the cost of manufacture, as well as create design problems when attempting to accommodate the space they require inside the device. In addition, the more complicated the device is, the more likely it is that the device may fail. It would be desirable to have a low-cost device, which requires a minimum amount of space, and which also has a minimum amount of components to increase reliability and reduce the possibility of component failure.
Numerous other applications for bidirectional clutches also exist. In particular, a wide variety of manufacturing and assembly-line operations require the ability to engage and disengage power systems the purpose of controlling machinery or the movement of work items through the assembly process. As discussed above in regard to the previous applications, frequently used tools and manufacturing equipment require a high level of reliability, low-cost manufacture and efficient use of space. It would be desirable to have a clutch mechanism which could accomplish desired manufacturing goals with minimal cost and use of space.
Prior art clutches also are typically dedicated devices associated with a single function, such as a vehicular drive train. It would be desirable to have a single clutch assembly with the capability of simultaneously transmitting power to multiple devices and reversing that direction of those devices as needed.
In addition to the foregoing, prior art clutches typically require power to be applied to the clutch structure at a single component of the clutch. It would be desirable to have a universal clutch structure which allows input power to be applied to more than one component, depending on the particular application, to be exerted by other selectable components of the clutch, also depending on the particular application at hand.
Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for a low-cost bidirectional clutch that is inexpensive to manufacture, that is efficient during normal operation, that can be implemented with a minimal number of components to reduce the possibility of failure, and which provides a size advantage due to the low component count. Likewise, there is a need for a universal clutch structure that can be used across a wide variety of devices, which can have driving power applied to more than one component of the clutch, for more than one component of the clutch.